Of Nightlights and Photo Albums
by imaginaryvigilante
Summary: They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But sometimes, they're worth so much more. Sequel to Polaroid.
1. Chapter 1

**So this is sort of a sequel to Polaroid, but you don't need to read that to know what's happening here. What is happening here is mindless, self indulgent fluff. And a hell of a lot of it. I honestly didn't think I had this much sappiness in me. But apparently I do.**

**I want to say a humongosauruslygigantic thank you to callsignbuzz for being the most amazing Beta everrrrrr. Because I be not so good with the little commas and whutnot. **

**Disclaimer: Don't own them. Simply using for my own fluffy purposes.**

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><p>It had just gone nine thirty on a Friday night, and as Kate surveyed her kingdom, a sense of pride flooded her body and made her smile. It wasn't the bull pen or even the interrogation room. It was her living room and it was immaculate. That fact and that fact alone made her grin.<p>

If she looked back at her life a mere four years ago, not only would she have never ever cleaned to the point of spotlessness. If she had, she'd have checked into Bellevue immediately. But a lot of things had changed in just four short years and her domestic abilities had certainly levelled up quite a bit. Kate was a dab hand with a mop now, even if she did say so herself.

Also, she had learned about the importance of separating colours and whites when putting a load of washing.

She had never been incompetent when it came to chores, she just had a whole lot of other, more important, things to do. Like catching murderers. Besides, a quick vacuum now and then did the job just fine.

But then suddenly her life had been flipped on its face and she found herself caring a great deal about things that never seemed that important before.

Like buying groceries every week. Healthy ones; like lettuce and apples. Not ones which contained more saturated fat than they weighed.

Throwing out expired food before it grew its own colony of mould was an important lesson to learn too.

Sighing happily, she made her way to the kitchen and was thankful to find a half bottle of wine sitting in the door shelf. Grabbing a glass from a high cupboard, she poured herself a generous sidled along to the living room and sank into the couch, making sure not to spill her wine as she tucked her feet up underneath her.

She barely had two sips before her phone rang.

Muttering curses, Kate placed her wine back down and scrabbled to find the source of the annoying ringtone. Rooting around behind the couch cushions, she triumphantly pulled her cell phone out. Seeing who was calling, she rolled her eyes and pressed answer.

"What do you want husband of mine?"

Rick Castle laughed, "Just checking in to see how my wife is doing."

"Your wife _was_ enjoying a glass of wine and some silence before you interrupted."

"Ooh. Sorry then. I'll leave you to it then, Mrs Castle."

"Oh no you don't get off that easy_, Mr Castle. _How was the meeting?"

Rick sighed, "_Meetings_. I swear if someone had told me that writing a series of highly successful novels included four hour long meetings with no coffee in one day…"

"You'd be forced to get a real job?" Kate supplied.

"Hey! No taking the piss out of the multi award winning writer!"

"Speaking of multi award winning writer, when's he getting home?"

"Soon. Why? Missing me?"

Kate jokingly scoffed, "You wish. I was constantly harangued by a certain four year old wondering where her daddy was all day."

Rick laughed again, "She get to sleep alright tonight?"

Four year old Cassidy Johanna Castle shared her mother's stubbornness and refused to have a nightlight. Her fear of the dark however had sent her running into her parents' bedroom on more than one occasion. It took more than ample persuasion to get her back to her own bed. Being the daughter of a detective and a crime novelist, even if it was Richard Castle, bribery and promises of chocolate didn't usually work.

Kate was silent for a moment, listening for any sign that her daughter was awake. "Well she's still asleep. For now."

There was some chattering in the background before Rick spoke. "Uh, hey I've got to dash. Paula's making me go for a drink with this new author. I'm gonna make my excuses and leave early though."

"It's not the next Alex Conrad is it?" Kate asked teasingly. The once declared 'Next Richard Castle' had made a surprisingly successful name for himself by switching to writing bodice ripping romance novels of all things.

"Don't even joke about that. Muffins went to waste because of him. Muffins Kate. Muffins."

"You are insufferable."

"And that's why you love me." There was a slight pause and Kate heard someone yelling in the background. Rick lowered his voice to a whisper "Uh…I've really got to go…"

"Go on you. Go drink and schmooze while I sit here all on my lonesome."

Rick felt bad. The meetings were bad enough but having to put a smile on and listen to boring stories when he'd rather be at home curled up with his wife was worse. He was so going to have a talk with Paula about springing these things on him.

When he didn't answer Kate let out a short laugh, "Rick. I was joking. Good lord where's the nine year old on a sugar rush that I married?"

"He, uh, grew up?" Although she said she was joking, he was afraid she really was annoyed.

"Nice try. Next time with a bit more feeling. Now go have some fun. I love you."

"I love you too."

Kate smirked as she hung up. All this time and she could still wind him up. God he was so easy. She curled back up onto the couch and sipped her wine. She might not get to spend the evening with her husband but right now life was good. An evening of quiet relaxation was just what Kate Castle needed.

She stretched her legs out and was about to reach for the remote when a small voice piped up from behind the couch.

"Mama?"

Damn. Her evening of solo relaxation would have to wait for another evening. Kate swivelled on the couch and found a pair of bright blue eyes and a scruffy looking elephant toy staring up at her.

"Why aren't you asleep_, _Miss Cass?"

"Mama, Cherry had a bad dream." The elephant was held up over the four year old's head.

"Really?" Kate picked up Cass and plonked her on her lap. "Does Cherry remember what it was about?"

"No she don't 'member," Cass said, looking up at Kate with her blue eyes. She'd inherited almost all of her looks from Kate but those eyes were all Castle's. "Mama?"

"Yes?" Kate said, gently trying taming her daughters unruly brunette curls.

"Read Cherry a story?"

"Another story?" Sometimes the offspring of a writer was hard work.

"Please Mama? Cherry and me like stories. Daddy always reads me lots of stories." Damn Castle and his puppy dog eyes. Kate didn't know if a look could be passed on genetically but her daughter could muster an exact copy whenever she pleased. And Kate was powerless against it.

"Alright missy. One story. Then bed. Are you sure you…Cherry doesn't want a nightlight?"

"No." Cass shook her head emphatically. "No nigh' light. Cherry's not 'fraid, we're big girls now."

"Hmm."

Cass wriggled off her mother's lap and pointed to the bookshelf. "Cherry will choose a story!"

The four year old struck a pose identical to Castle's 'thinking pose' as she studied, or pretended to study, the titles on the lowest two shelves. Kate smiled. Her daughter may have gotten her looks, but her mannerisms, and eyes, were all Rick. Especially the dramatics.

"Found anything Cassy?"

"Hold up Mama! Cherry is thinking!"

Kate had to stifle a laugh. "Alright then bossy. I'll leave you to it."

"I got one!" Cass dragged a large book behind her back to the couch and held it up to Kate. "Read this one Mama." And with that she sat back on her mother's lap and looked up at her expectantly.

Upon inspection, the book that Cass had given her was not actually a book, but a photo album. Ever since that day; the dayKate had woken up after her shooting, and discovered Rick had stolen – he'd used the word 'borrowed' of course – her box of photo albums and brought them to the hospital, Kate had rediscovered her love of photography.

As their relationship had slowly progressed, more albums had been filled. The photos weren't taken as often as they used to be, but they still managed to capture the most important moments. A picnic in the park during fall, one of them together at the scholarship ball in her mother's name, and even one of Kate trying to smack a fan girl who'd made one too many_ adult_ propositions to Rick while getting her copy of _Deadly Heat_. Lanie had been particularly proud of her photo taking skills that day.

"_Did you have to put her in a full nelson?" Rick said, still trying to recover from the day's events. He was glad it was sort of dark in the back of the limo so Kate couldn't see him grinning with pride. _

"_She was practically trying to have sex with you there and then!"_

"_Well who could blame her? I mean I am ruggedly handsome after all."_

_A Styrofoam coffee cup flew across the limo and hit him squarely on the forehead. Rick yelped._

"_Good," Kate said, satisfied with his reaction. "I hope it leaves a dent."_

_He unclipped his seatbelt and sidled up to her, sliding an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "Have I ever said how hot it is when you get jealous?"_

_She turned to face him, her face transfixed with a glare. "You. Are. Insufferable." Kate punctuated each word with a poke to his chest._

"_Ow! No jabbing!"_

"_Hmph." She turned away from him and suddenly found the fast moving sidewalk extremely __interesting_.

"_Would it make it any better if I said I wasn't even interested and you're my one and done?"_

"_No," she said stubbornly._

"_How about if I make dinner when we get home?"_

"_No," _

"_Foot rub?" The swift banter between them hadn't changed one bit, although Rick's offers for forgiveness certainly had._

"_No."_

_Rick paused, trying to figure out what he could use to turn her around. "What If I let you read the new chapter of_ Heat Falls_?"_

_That got her. When Kate turned to face him, he pulled her into a kiss. After a minute or so she broke away grinning, "It better be a long chapter."_

_She hadn't been that angry. Besides, the look on the face of the woman when she realised she was being frog marched out of the bookstore by Richard Castle's wife was revenge enough._

_Rick matched her grin, "You just love me for my books."_

It wasn't until Kate had moved in with Rick – Alexis had gone to Stanford and was currently doing post grad work, Martha had moved out for a bit to go on tour with a rather successful theatre company - that more and more of the photos had made their way out of their plastic sleeves and up onto the walls. _His loft_ became more and more _their home_, filled with the memories they had made together. Still there were some albums floating around, filled with the photos that couldn't fit onto the wall. The one that Cass had grabbed was one of them.

"Baby, this isn't a story book. It's a photo album."

Cass blinked at her mom. "What's that?"

"It's for storing pictures. Like the frames we have on the walls but in a book." Kate opened the album slowly, "See?"

"Look! It's Uncle Kev and Aunty Jenny! Wow Mama, her dress is pretty."

"It's their wedding day." Kate smiled at the memory, gently touching the photo. It was one of her and Rick's first 'proper' events together. Both the ceremony and reception had been beautiful and although Kate had adamantly denied it, she's shed a tear or two during the vows.

"_Are you crying?" Rick whispered from next to her._

_Kate gave sniff and an indignant glare. "No." Crap. Thank Maybelline for waterproof mascara. If she hadn't sniffed he never would have known._

_Rick looked at her face carefully, "You are."_

"_Shut it." She hissed._

"_You are truly a hopeless romantic aren't you?"_

"_I said shut it Rick." _

_Rick shut it. For about two seconds. "Want a tissue?"_

"_Castle!"_

_More silence. _

"_Do you, Kevin Ryan take Jenny O'Malley to be your lawful wedded wife for as long as you both shall live?"_

"_I do."_

_That did it. Kate made a half assed attempt to wipe her cheek. Damn._

_Rick slipped his hand into hers and squeezed. "I love you and all your hopeless romanticness. And your hotness in that dress." He moved closer so his lips were inches away from her ear, "And your hotness out of it too."_

_Kate let out a small laugh as Jenny repeated the priest's words and said 'I do.'_

As Kate was lost in remembrance, Cass wriggled a little and flipped over a couple of pages, already moving on, "It's me and Daddy, Mama! The day we made cookies!"

Just thinking about that day snapped Kate out of her reverie and almost made her cringe involuntarily. The picture was in the photo album and not on the walls for a reason.

Flour. Everywhere.

Everywhere.

"_Right Cassy Cat. Mom's gone so it's just you and me. Big Castle and mini - mini Castle. What do you want to do today?" Even after eighteen or so years, Rick fell into his 'Mr. Mom' role with surprising ease. He was happy enough to let Cass decide what she wanted to do because she wasn't big enough just yet to play laser tag and the one time he's shown her how to use his helicopter it had whirlybirded right out an open window. It was nice of the delivery guy it hit to return it._

_The three year old grew serious for a second, "Cookies."_

"_Cookies?"_

_Cass looked up at her father, "Daddy. I want to make cookies."_

"_Cookies? Are you sure?" He swept her up and placed her on his hip. "We could go to the park, or the playground, or go see…"_

"_Daddy," Cass said, with as much patience as her three year old self could muster, placed her little hands on Rick's cheeks. "I want to make cookies. Cookies please." She looked so much like Kate at that moment._

"_Uh...Cookies it is then!"_

"_Yay! Can Cherry help?"_

_A three year old, a writer and an elephant making cookies in the kitchen. Almost sounded like the start of a joke. "Of course."_

_Fifteen minutes later all the ingredients needed for chocolate chip cookies were neatly lined up on the counter with the recipe book nearby._

"_Are you ready little chef?"_

_Cass nodded eagerly, her paper chef's hat falling down off her head. "Ready Daddy!"_

_Things started surprisingly smoothly. Rick helped Cass break two eggs into a bowl, measure the milk and mix in the vanilla essence. Cass stirred vigorously perched on her kiddy ladder while he melted butter in the microwave. _

"_Now we put in the dry ingredients."_

"_Flour?"_

"_Flour."_

_They'd put in the sugar and baking powder and were about to measure out the flour when the phone rang. Rick looked around for a hand towel. When he found none he wiped them on his apron. His very masculine apron, thank you very much._

"_I…uh…go play while I get this okay Cass?"_

"_But Daddy! Flour! Cookies!"_

"_I'll get this and we'll get right back to cookie time okay?"_

_Cass huffed, a perfect Kate huff, "Fine. Come Cherry."_

_Rick dashed to grab the phone before whoever it was on the other end hung up, "Hello?"_

"_Dad?"_

"_Alexis! Hi!" Rick had almost forgotten their weekly chat. Sometimes they Skyped but that usually ended in Cass hogging the screen for an hour, showing Alexis her numerous drawings._

"_You sound out of breath…is this a bad time?"_

"_No, no just making cookies with Cass and Cherry."_

"_Oh! Chocolate chip?"_

"_You know it. So how's the post grad life?"_

"_Really good. We've started to do some research with the neuro-imaging machines. We're looking at the __responses of a single neuron to lines __in its receptive field." __Alexis easily completed her Bachelors in Science majoring in Psychology and was now branching off into neuro-psychology post grad research. _

"_I'm going to pretend to understand that. How's Ashley?"_

_Alexis laughed. As far away from home as she was, it was still good to have some connection to her home. "He's good too. He got an internship at Lawrence Livermore National Lab's Hydrogen Fuel division. It's super exclusive and he's really excited. How's Kate?" _

"_She's good too. Working today, but we're trying to get to the Hamptons for a week or so next month. We could use the time off."_

"_Tough being 'Mr. Mom,' again huh Dad?" Alexis said with a light tease in her voice._

"_Very funny. But I'm out of practice – it's been a lot of years since I had to chase your little butt around the house."_

"_Dad, you never had to chase me around. I had to chase _you_ around remember?"_

"_Indeed I do."_

"_Daddy is that Lexis?" Cass asked excidedly as she ran into the room._

_Startled, Rick almost dropped the phone, "Umm…yes?"_

"_LEX! HI LEX!"_

"_Hi Cassy!" Alexis laughed down the phone._

"_Daddy, phone please." Cass held out her hand expectantly._

_Rick handed her the phone and Cass climbed up onto the couch. _

"_Hi Lex! Me and Daddy are making cookies!"_

"_I heard! You gonna save some for me?"_

"_I'll try." Cass lowered her voice conspiratorially, "But Daddy might eat them all."_

_Alexis laughed, "He does like his cookies."_

"_When are you coming to see me and Cherry, Lexy?"_

"_Soon Cassy Cat. Soon."_

"_Kay. Here Daddy." Cass almost threw the phone at Rick who managed to catch it with one hand. A brilliant move, if someone had seen it. Cass had slid off the couch and wandered back into the kitchen with Cherry._

"_One of few words that one." Rick said as he righted the phone and held it up to his ear._

"_So she's all Kate then? I don't think few words run on our side Dad."_

"_Oh haha Miss Post Grad."_

"_DADDY!" Cass' small voice said surprisingly loudly from the kitchen._

_Rick groaned, "Oh god. Listen Lex I've gotta run."_

"_She's in the kitchen alone again isn't she?"_

_Damn Alexis for knowing him all too well, "One time. That happened one time!" _

"_And today makes two. Bye Dad. I'll call you same time next week?"_

"_You know it. Love you."_

"_Love you too."_

_Rick had barely hung up the phone before sprinting into the kitchen. Oh god. Cass had opened the bag of flour by herself. But instead of getting it in the mixing bowl, she'd got it everywhere else. Everyhwere else. It looked like Frosty the Snowman held a rage in the kitchen._

_Cass giggled and flung a handful of flour at him, "Look! It's snow Daddy!"_

_He was dead. So dead. Deader than dead. Deadified dead. The deadliest form of deadified dead. _

"_Snow!" Cass repeated, then sneezed._

_Rick had wanted to clean it all up straight away but Cass insisted on finishing the cookies. Once they were safely cooling on the counter, Rick was just about to start cleaning up Cass when he heard the front door click._

"_I'm home!"_

"_Mama!" Cass called, despite Rick making several 'shush be quiet or I'm dead' gestures that went way over the child's head, "In the kitchen! We made cookies!"_

"_I can smell them! I wondered what…you…guys…had….made?"_

_Upon entering the kitchen Kate was greeted by two very floury persons, a very floury toy elephant and a very floury kitchen._

_Rick grinned sheepishly. "Um. Surprise? Want a cookie?"_

Kate had been furious and horrified at the same time but seeing her husband and daughter covered in flour, proudly displaying their creations was enough to send her hunting for the camera. Kate had regretted being so blasé about the whole incident later when she had to wash the flour out of Cass' hair.

Three hours it had taken.

It was funny in a way, when Kate remembered the photo of she and her mom making jam and compared it to the cookie disaster photo. It was sort of like passing on the torch.

Except with five pounds of flour.

"I like cookies Mama." Cass said, snuggling further into her mother. She was getting tired, Kate could tell.

"I know you do. You ready for bed now?"

"No. More photos please."

Kate checked her watch. 10:30. Way past the little girl's bedtime. "A few more okay? Then we really have to go to sleep."

Cass sighed and clutched Cherry even tighter. She'd received the toy from Grandpa Jim, two days after she was born. The elephant had been with her ever since. There had been millions of other toys from friends, family and even the slightly too obsessed fan, but the elephant was by far Cass' favourite. Kate wasn't exactly sure where the name came from, but Rick had given her such a look when Cass had let the name slip one evening. Kate being Kate had chosen to ignore it. Still, wherever the name came from, it had stuck.

The upside had been that because of its name, Cass developed an intense love for cherries. Or perhaps that was more a downside because for two weeks, cherries had been the only thing Cass wanted to eat.

"Mama?" Cass said, a little sleepily.

"Yeah?"

"What's your bestest photo?"

"My…bestest?"

"Uh huh."

Wow. Tough question coming from a sleepy four year old.

Kate flicked through a couple of pages, passing birthdays, book signings and a few baby firsts.

A favourite photo. Singular. One. Out of ten or so photo albums. And that wasn't including the ones she had from her childhood. Or all the photos on the wall.

One photo.

Hmmm. Tough question indeed.

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><p><strong>Needing a trip to the dentist yet?<strong>

**Second part up soon. And I'm telling you now, it's just as fluffy.**


	2. Chapter 2

**This is possibly fluffier than the previous chapter. Maybe. I'll let you know when I get back from the dentist tomorrow :3**

**Biiiiiiig mucho ocho grando dorito thankies to callsign buzz for Beta duties and helping me when I got stuck because I had so many tests all I could think of was the lobes of the brain and the parts of the eye. And I don't think you guys want a chapter about the hippocampus or the fovea do you?**

**A/N: I don't own Castle but I did see the new season four promo pictures! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! 23ish days guys! OMFGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG.**

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><p><em>Which one is your bestest photo Mama?<em>

Still trying deciding, Kate pulled her famous intentional and deliberate procrastination manoeuvre that she usually saved for when suspects wanted their lawyers, hoping Cass would zonk out and the question would be forgotten.

Then she realised she was being silly and planning a tactical like mission over choosing one photo. So Kate decided to suck it up and choose.

Part of her wanted to say them all but she knew that wouldn't satisfy the little girl. Cass was like Rick, she wanted specifics and the usual vague brush off wouldn't fly.

Kate thought hard. Three pictures sprang to mind. There were her wedding photos, of course, but not the professional ones that were sitting on the numerous walls and bookcases. These were ones taken by friends and family, the natural ones. Those were the ones that Kate liked best. One in particular jumped to her mind and she flipped a few pages to find it.

"There's this one." Kate pointed to a single photo on the bottom of the page.

"It's you and Daddy! Is it your…weddin' too? Like the photo of Uncle Kev and Aunty Jenny?"

"Uh huh."

"You look so pretty Mama."

Kate smiled. The photo _was _very beautiful. They'd had the wedding in the Hamptons during the summer. Kate had mentioned to Rick in passing on one day, so long ago that she didn't remember, that if she was ever going to get married, she'd want it to be at the beach.

And he'd made it happen.

The photo was taken by Lanie - she always took the good ones - during their reception. It was sunset, and Rick and Kate had taken a few moments away from the party to walk down by the beach. It was hardly appropriate in her long dress and high heels, but she'd kicked off her shoes, hiked up her dress, shaken out her hair, tucked one of the gardenias behind her ear and dragged Rick down to the beach. They stood at the edge of the shore arms wrapped around each other, just watching the water.

_"You're so beautiful," Rick said into her neck as they stood embracing just a few feet from the edge of the water._

_"Mmm," Kate said, still in half a daze. Had she really just gotten married four hours ago? Had she just said 'I do' to Richard Castle? Did she really just walk down the aisle with her father? Was she really Mrs Castle now?_

_"I can hear you thinking, you know."_

_"What?" She turned to face him. "I was just wondering if this was really happening. Like _really_ happening. Or did I have too many with Lanie last night?"_

_"You have drunken dreams about marrying me? I...I don't know how to feel about this." When Kate's hand went for his ear, he dodged away laughing._

_"Insufferable husband!" She called after him, enjoying the way 'husband' rolled off her tongue. Husband. Richard Castle was her husband. Wow. And this was coming from a woman who'd never ripped a page out of a wedding magazine._

_She managed to catch up with him without falling on her face, which, in a very expensive, very tight wedding dress was an extraordinary feat, especially on sand. Not to mention the amount of food they'd consumed at the reception. And cake. And alcohol._

_"You think they noticed that we left?" Rick asked, his arms once again finding their way around his wife. Wife. He liked the way 'wife' rolled of his tongue. Kate Beckett was now Kate Castle. God, he'd never get used to that. Never._

_Kate snorted. "With all the free booze? No way."_

_"Good. Then I can do this some more." He said and he leaned forward to kiss her._

_Then his phone started to ring._

_"You actually had that in your pocket the whole time?" Kate asked incredulously, pulling away._

_"I...maybe," he replied, pulling the phone out of his pocket. Seeing who it was he took a deep breath, ready to let it rip and pressed answer. "Really, Paula? You're going to interrupt me on my wedding night? What are you doing away from the bar anyway?" He pulled the phone away from his ear and Kate could hear some muffled yelling. "I...wait? What? Really? Uh...okay. Thanks. I think."_

_"What? What's happened?" Kate asked, seeing his face. Seeing Rick worried made her worry. And worry was not supposed to happen on a wedding night._

_Rick sighed heavily, "There was a reporter at the ceremony. They're going to run a huge article on the wedding for one of the tabloids. Paula's doing what she can but...I'm sorry Kate. I know you wanted a private-ish wedding."_

_She should have known really. The marriage of one of the most eligible bachelors, and not to mention an award winning writer, to his muse and the woman he'd been shadowing for the past four years didn't exactly scream private. Heck, it should have been a three ring media circus. They were lucky with only one reporter. She should have been mad. She should have been fuming. Part of her wanted to send everyone home and go bury the reporter alive herself. But the other part couldn't really care. Let the paper run what they want. Kate had a honeymoon to go on. In the Bahamas. By the time they got back, the flurry surrounding their wedding would have died down anyway._

_Rick was worried. Kate hadn't said anything for awhile. Her eyes had that narrowed focused look. Never a good sign. It usually meant someone was about to get hurt. Usually him. "Kate?" he asked tentatively. Stupid reporters. Stupid Paula. Stupid papers. Stupid, stupid, stupid._

_"It doesn't matter."_

_"I'm so...wait… what?"_

_She grinned up at him. "It doesn't matter. Let them run what they want."_

_Who was this woman and where was his wife? No, really. Where was the Kate who'd almost 'accidentally' run him over with her car that time when pictures of her wearing her new engagement ring and rumors that she was pregnant surfaced? He was treading on dangerous waters. Time to take it slow and not put his foot in his mouth. For once._

_"Um. Okay?" Clever. Really clever, Rick. Good job._

_Kate nodded decisively. "It's okay. Really." Sort of. She was still slightly mad. Not at Rick. But at the stupid reporters and the stupid tabloids and the stupid freedom of the press._

_Relieved and eager to get back to their wedding night, Rick pulled her into a really long kiss. "Mr Castle thinks Mrs Castle should stop thinking about stupid reporters and stupid tabloids and the stupid freedom of the press and enjoy the rest of her wedding night."_

_He gently took his hand in hers and slowly, without music, they began to dance on the beach._

_And when they got back from the Bahamas - a lot tanner than when they left - Lanie proudly gave them a copy of the article she'd saved._

_It wasn't half bad actually._

"Is that your bestest one?"

It was a beautiful photo that captured the end of a perfect - whirlwind seemed more appropriate - day, but Kate wasn't sure if it was her absolute favourite. "Mama can't choose her bestest one Cass. She loves them all."

Cass turned a few more pages, passing over some photos of the police ball and Alex's graduation.

"But you gotta have a bestest one. Like I have Cherry whose my bestest toy. And Damien whose my bestest friend. What about this one, Mama?" Cass pointed to one of a very tired Kate in the hospital proudly showing off the tiny pink bundle she held in her arms. Sitting beside her on the bed was Rick, who, despite having a bandaged left hand had an even bigger smile.

Cass turned and grinned at her mom. "That's me!"

"That it is, Cassy Cat."

"Why is Daddy's hand bandaged?" Cass asked, squinting at the picture.

Oh. Um.

_"You broke his fingers? Girl, I am never, ever holding your hand again!" Lanie laughed quietly, so as not to wake the baby in her arms._

"_You've held it before?" Esposito asked incredulously. "I _have_ to come with you on some of these girls' nights."_

_Lanie tutted at her fiancée and baby Castle gave a little moan. Kate held her arms out and Lanie carefully passed her god daughter back. With slight regret she might add. Her best friend and Writer Boy made damn gorgeous babies._

_"He wanted to film me. I was a little pre occupied and hardly in the mood," Kate said, expertly calming her daughter down by gently rocking her. She turned to Rick, who was sitting beside her on the bed. One of the perks of being a famous writer is that you could afford a large bed in a maternity ward hospital for your wife and new child. And there was no awful plastic chair in sight. "You did say squeeze when it hurt."_

_Rick nodded, not taking his eyes off from the baby. He was still in new Daddy shock. "I did. I just didn't mean so hard."_

_Soft laughter filled the room._

_"Have you thought of a name yet?" Jenny asked from her spot next to Ryan with one year old Damien perched on her hip._

_Kate glanced at Rick. "We were thinking of Cassidy Johanna."_

_"We decided on Cassidy before we looked up the meaning mind you," Rick added._

_"So what's it mean?" Ryan asked._

_Another glance. "Clever…or curly," Kate said, grinning at her tiny daughter._

_More soft laughter. "It's kind of fitting actually," Rick said, gently touching Cassidy's head which was already covered in tiny curls._

_"You two are just so cute," Lanie said, pulling a camera out of her purse. "Smile for the camera and the entire 12th precinct."_

_Click._

"He uh, hurt his hand."

"Oh." Cass yawned a huge yawn hat took up half her face. Her eye lids drooped and her head did the floppy thing that happens when you begin to drop off to sleep.

"Bed time missy."

"No." Another yawn, "Not tired. Gonna stay up late and see Daddy."

"Uh huh."

There was no reply from Cass who had stuck her thumb in her mouth and was sleeping against her mother's shoulder. Kate smiled. So much for not tired.

She leaned forward and placed the photo album, still open, on the table. It was kind of hard to do with a slumbering four year old and an elephant on your lap so she gave it a gentle kick with her foot to make sure it was all the way on the table. Unfortunately her aim wasn't so good so she ended kicking it onto the floor.

Too tired to care, Kate stood up and balanced Cass on her hip. The four year old sniffed and murmured in her sleep. Kate placed a gentle kiss on the child's forehead.

"Come on bub. Let's get you to bed."

She made it halfway up the stairs when she heard a gentle click and the turn of a door handle. Kate waited for the door to open and was greeted by a Rick carefully stepping through, making sure to close the door quietly.

"Hey."

He jumped slightly and turned to grin at her, "Hey yourself."

"You're home early," Kate said, hiking Cass up higher on her hip.

"They wanted to go bar hopping and I think Paula had eyes on the new guy." Rick gave a dramatic shudder, "Ew. Besides I'd rather be here."

Kate laughed, but quietly so as not to wake Cass.

"What?" Rick asked, looking behind him.

"Nothing," she said, "I was just wondering when you got so domestic."

He pouted, "I can be domestic."

"Oh really?"

"Yes," he walked up the stairs and kissed her on the lips. "Really."

Cass stirred, "Daddy?"

Rick stroked her forehead, "Hey Cassy Cat."

"Look Mama it's Daddy." She murmured and put her head back on her mom's shoulder.

"I can see that." Kate whispered into her daughter's hair, before turning her head away to yawn slightly.

"Want me to take her?"

Kate shifted her position and Rick carefully peeled the little girl off her hip. He gave Kate another kiss and watched her walk downstairs before cautiously navigating his way up the stairs. As stylish as they were, made for carrying sleepy children up to bed they were not.

After successfully navigating the toy minefield that was her room, Rick put Cass, who was still tightly clutching Cherry, in her bed. With the expertise that only comes from lots of practice he tucked her in tight. "Night Cass."

Rick pressed a kiss to her forehead and was about to leave when he heard a small voice pipe up.

"Daddy say nigh' nigh' to Cherry too?"

Rick spun on his heels and gave the little elephant a kiss too. "Night Cherry."

Cass snuggled down in her bed contented. "Daddy?"

"Yes Cass?"

"Leave the door open please."

Seeing as how Cass refused a nightlight, she'd opted for leaving the door open slightly while the hall light was on.

"Only a little bit okay?" Rick said, adjusting the door. "You are so like your mom." He whispered.

"Daddy?"

"Yes Cass?" He asked, wondering where this sudden burst of energy came from. Normally if Cass woke up after being put to bed she would fall asleep again after only a couple of minutes. Someone was very lively tonight.

Cass yawned loudly. "Know what me and Cherry want?"

"A nightlight?" Rick supplied.

"No Daddy that's silly." Another yawn. Sleep was coming quickly for the child now, "A limng bresdre…"

Not even his acute baby language translators got that last one. "What?"

"A little brother."

Well.

That was unexpected.

Very unexpected.

Rendered speechless by a small child – again – Rick wordless exited Cass room and went downstairs. He found Kate sitting downstairs on the couch with the photo album on her lap. Without even looking at her he could tell she was smiling.

"You're happy." He said, sidling up next to her.

Kate looked up from the photos, "What? Oh I'm just…looking."

"Now that," Rick said pointing "was a good Christmas."

"You mean the Christmas where you set the turkey on fire, Alexis missed her flight and I got called in on Christmas Eve to help catch a killer who liked to strangle his victims with tinsel? That Christmas?"

"No, I meant the other Christmas where I set the turkey on fire, Alexis missed her flight and you got called in on Christmas Eve to help catch a killer who liked to strangle his victims with tinsel."

"Ha ha." Kate grew serious for a moment, "Did Cass get to sleep okay?"

Rick loved it when Kate went into Mommy mode. She could come home from terrorising suspects in the interrogation room to helping Cass finger paint and cook dinner. It hadn't been easy adjusting, but she was Kate Castle – to suspects, Beckett – and he was Richard Castle and together they had made it work.

"Yeah." He laughed.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"You are insufferable." Kate said, rolling her eyes. She let out a large yawn, "I'm tired and I'm going to go to bed." She stood up, taking the photo album with her. A photo fluttered out and landed on the floor. Kate sighed and bent down to pick it up.

"Oh."

"Oh what?"

"Oh this. I'd forgotten we still had this." Kate handed the photo to Rick. It was a little blurry, like it had been taken by a phone camera. When he saw what it was of, his stomach dropped but his heart rose slightly at the same time.

It was the photo of them in the hospital, the day Kate had woken up after being shot. Rick was grinning, perched on the end of her bed with his arm carefully wrapped around Kate who had her head tilted back and was laughing. Photo albums surrounded them. They were completely and blissfully unaware the moment had been captured.

"I remember this. Your dad took it, right?"

Kate smiled and bit her lip, "Yeah he did." She sat back down next to Rick and he wrapped his arms around her, "Know what Cass asked me tonight?"

"What?"

"She asked me which photo was my favourite. I was gonna say either this one or this one," Kate said, flipping to the photo of them dancing on the beach at their wedding and the one of them holding a tiny Cass, "but I think it's this one."

"The one that was taken the day you woke up after being shot at a funeral?"

Kate gave him a gentle nudge on the shoulder, "Not when you put it like that. I meant because it's just us being us. And it's after the first time I did this," She leant over and they kissed tenderly.

Rick grinned , "Second time."

"Undercover doesn't count."

"It should though."

"Well it doesn't. And _you_ kissed _me_ first that time."

"Perfect distraction, huh?"

"If you say so."

They were silent for a bit, and Rick could feel Kate drifting off to sleep in his arms, "Know what Cass asked me for tonight?" He whispered into her ear.

"Hmm? No. What?"

"A brother."

That did it. Kate shot up, no longer sleepy, "Really?" She asked incredulously.

"Yup."

"Oh…"

"Oh what?"

"Oh okay."

Rick choked on his own spit, "Oh okay?" He managed coughed out.

She shrugged, "I don't know, I've kind of always wanted a boy. Haven't you?"

Rick nodded slowly, still trying to keep up with the pace of the conversation, and wondering if the real Kate was tied up in a closet somewhere. Even after four and a bit years she was still so full of surprises. "What if we have another girl?"

A smug grin appeared on Kate's face, "Then we'll have to keep trying won't we?"

The smile that broke out on Rick's face as he picked her up, bridal style, and carried her to the bedroom could have split his face in half.

* * *

><p><strong>:3<strong>

**I really don't know what to say. This story just got fluffier and fluffier with each revision. My angsty side got tied down and beaten to pulp by these fluff bunnies. They're ruthless I tells ya!**

**The end?**

**For now.**

**Maybe.**

**Fluffy family one shots anyone?**

**You guys can decide. Cause you're all awesome like that :D**


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